


you make me smile, please stay for a while

by ackermanx



Category: Granblue Fantasy (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, Other Characters Are Mentioned, au-ish
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-23
Updated: 2018-05-23
Packaged: 2019-05-13 01:25:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14739467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ackermanx/pseuds/ackermanx
Summary: If there's one thing that Rosetta prides herself on, it's that not many things can catch her off-guard. It's proved to be extremely useful throughout her life, especially in moments that require a cool head, allowing her to see what others, perhaps, could not in their haze of panic and confusion.Now, as Rosetta can practically feel her brain grinding to a halt over the words "she loves you", all that she can think about is how nice it would be to have that ability back.





	you make me smile, please stay for a while

**Author's Note:**

> aight bear with me bc even I don't really know where this fic is set. I think I was aiming for a canon universe thing but instead of floating islands theres towns? and no primal beasts.
> 
> anyways. girls.

Life, Rosetta decides at this very moment, has it out for her.

 

She sets down her bags and crosses her arms, causing her companion ahead of her to pause. "You alright?" Gran calls over his shoulder, a hint of worry in his voice. "Need a quick break?"

 

"Oh, no, I'm fine." Rosetta drawls, knowing full well that the new furrow in Gran's brow is from trying to discern any sarcasm in her voice. "Let's just get going, shall we?"

 

Gran continues to stare at Rosetta with a strange sort of determination in his eyes, even as she hoists her luggage back up and marches straight past him. He opens his mouth - closes it - hurries after the woman and says slowly "if there's anything that's bothering you, you  _ can _ tell me, you know?"

 

Rosetta just sighs. She liked Gran well enough, but the boy could be...overbearing at times. "Really, I am fine. If anything, I suppose it's the homesickness gettting to me."

 

"Homesickness? Y - oh, you used to live here, didn't you? Then you must be glad to be back!"

 

"Glad to see the place rid of the meddling army, certainly. After what those brutes did to my poor little village, I'm frankly surprised it's still standing. Glad to be back…"

 

Squinting at the barely discernible blob of a village ahead of them, Rosetta feels another sigh leave her body.

 

"We'll just have to see about that, won't we?"

 

It's despairingly obvious that Gran wants to know more, but he keeps his mouth shut despite the burning curiosity and keeps walking.

 

Once the two of them get close enough to the village that people milling about the side of the road becomes common, the silence started to feel forced again. Rosetta thinks that she likes the quiet, but she also thinks that she would feel less anxious if she was talking, so she ends up blurting out "why are you still here, anyway?"

 

"Huh?"

 

Gran looks mildly shaken up, and Rosetta can't blame him; her wording could have been better, that was true. "Well, I  _ did _ promise Lyria that I would make sure you got to your new store safely. And I want to make sure you're alright, too, I'd feel terrible if I didn't and then a good friend got hurt."

 

"A good friend, hm? So I've been upgraded from 'powerful and scary mage that I don't know how to approach'?"

 

"H-Hey! In my defense, you  _ were _ scary! Like...all mysterious, and magickey, and…"

 

Offhandedly realizing how dumb he must sound, Gran slowly trails off and attempts to distract himself by checking out his surroundings. Which backfires quickly, because he startles himself when he realizes where they are, and nearly drops one of Rosetta's suitcases on his feet.

 

"We're here, would you look at that," Gran declares dumbly, staring at the noticeably larger amount of people around them as if they had appeared out of nowhere. "Wait a minute. When did we get here?"

 

"While you were trying to talk yourself out of a corner, it seems," Rosetta shoots back while eyeing the town square in front of her. The scene itself is more lazy than anything else - people milling about in the area, making polite conversation with each other and various shop owners, and children playing a rather expansive game of tag. It's just the right mix of rowdy and quiet, and Rosetta...she thinks she can get used to this.

 

"Which building looks like it could be a pharmacy?" she says absentmindedly. "I'm not seeing a sign anywhere, and it's been a while since I last set foot here."

 

Someone taps Rosetta on the shoulder and she turns around, one eyebrow raised.

 

One of the townspeople - somehow on the younger side of the age spectrum, but who looked mildly familiar, anyway - stands before her, smiling. "Rosetta? Oh, it really is you; you've grown into such a fine young lady, I couldn't even recognize you! Oh, but...you do remember me, do you? That blank look isn't giving me any hope."

 

Rosetta looks at Gran.

 

Gran blinks rapidly, still trying to process what had just happened.

 

Rosetta turns back to the woman, giving her a good, long squint. She still can't quite put a finger on what it was that was so oddly  _ striking  _

 

" _ Cagliostro _ ?" she splutters, her carefully constructed expression dissolving into shock. "You look...different."

 

Different was a gross understatement - the last time that Rosetta had seen the woman in front of her, she had been a young boy, sickly but over-eager in all the magic that he showed to Rosetta.

 

...But no matter, that held no importance now, not when Rosetta was ready to move in and Cagliostro looked like she was ready to move out.

 

"Thank you!" Cagliostro practically trills, looking downwards at her own body and beaming. "Isn't it  _ wonderful _ what magic can do?"

 

"Oh, but of course, I would hope that the wonder of magic alone is enough to get anyone interested."

 

Rosetta manages to regain her composure, the smile returning to her face as she becomes fully comfortable with the situation. "Must you be leaving so soon though? After all, I just got here, and we haven't seen each other in ages."

 

"I wish I could stay, too, but I've got the world to see! My transportation hasn't been secured yet, so I won't be leaving for a week or so, during which I will be  _ all _ yours, darling."

 

"Um. I."

 

Both women startle, having temporarily forgotten about the presence of Gran. Gran, for his part, looks abashed enough at interrupting what had turned into a semi-emotional reunion that Rosetta decides to spare the poor boy.

 

"Oh, go on, we won't bite," she says, rolling her eyes fondly.

 

"...Okay, if you say so."

 

Still sounding dubious, Gran keeps talking anyway. "I was just thinking - um, your name  _ is _ Cagliostro, right?"

 

Cagliostro simply tilts her head forwards in response, leaning in with silent interest.

 

"Well, Cagliostro, now that Rosetta's leaving my crew, I could use another member to fill her spot. I promise everyone's pretty decent, although Vyrn might get a little huffy if you call him a lizard - but anyways! If you want to join us, there's a spot for you."

 

Rosetta can't help herself - she starts giggling at the sight of Gran growing increasingly flustered underneath Cagliostro's steady gaze. "I can vouch for everyone, if you want. They're a rather...lively group."

 

Suddenly snapping out of her intense demeanor, Cagliostro blinks and settles back into a blinding smile. "But of course! I would love to stay in town for a week or two -  _ so _ much packing and catching up to do - can that be arranged?"

 

"Of course! I think everyone would appreciate stopping and sightseeing for a while. I'll just, um."

 

Gran sets the suitcase that he had been carrying onto the ground and looks up at Rosetta in a silent question.

 

Rosetta waves him away with a knowing look in her eyes and Gran scampers off, yelling something about breaking the news to everyone else.

 

She and Cagliostro stand side by side, watching Gran's small figure weave through the thinning crowd. Then some strap on Rosetta's shoulder digs in at the wrong spot, and the rather uncomfortable shift in position seems to remind Cagliostro that they're still outside.

 

"Oh! Silly me, why are we still standing here? Come in, come in, I'll show you which rooms you can sleep in, and I simply  _ must _ take you around town tomorrow, there's so many changes that you've missed - !"

 

* * *

 

"My, it certainly is...calmer."

 

Rosetta raises her cup of tea to her mouth, sipping slowly. Cagliostro had certainly taken her around town - no store had gone unvisited, no resident had gone ungreeted, no stone had gone unturned. To top off the day, Rosetta had been taken to (or, more accurately, dragged to) a quaint little out-of-the-way tea shop to wind down.

 

Not that she was going to complain; Cagliostro's taste in all things edible was still as impeccable as ever, and that included the fragrant, citrusy-flavored tea that Rosetta was nursing at the moment.

 

Cagliostro puffs up at Rosetta's statement, looking vaguely reminiscent of a ruffled cat. "That's the worst understatement I've heard yet! Ugh, it was terrible with the soldiers here, the kids got in trouble for even breathing wrong around them, they got disgustingly drunk, we had to pretend to be civil to them - "

 

She cuts herself off, muttering "good riddance" underneath her breath, then brightens back up as if nothing had happened. "But before it gets dark, there's just  _ one _ more place that you absolutely must visit."

 

"One more?" Rosetta raises an eyebrow in mock surprise. "Don't tell me you actually  _ forgot _ to show me something?"

 

"Oh, ha ha. Now just - save our place, please, we'll be right back - follow me, this won't take long."

 

Grabbing Rosetta's hand, Cagliostro pulls her out of the teahouse - back into the streets, straight ahead, only stopping in front of a dimly-lit herb shop.

 

"Cagliostro, dear, as much as I'm sure that this a wonderful place, I think that it's closing up for the night. I really wouldn't mind coming back tomorrow - "

 

"Nonsense," Cagliostro firmly replies, and swings open the door. "Yggdrasil, you're still here, aren't you? There's someone special that I want you to meet."

 

A bell tinkles in response from somewhere in the back of the shop. Rosetta only has a few seconds to wonder  _ Yggdrasil, why does that name sound so familiar _ before pink hair bobs into her field of vision and Rosetta's brain short-circuits.

 

It's all coming back to her now - how could she have forgotten? Yggdrasil, the tiny girl who had always been too gentle for her own good, the friend who had been so close to Rosetta that they had nearly been inseparable, the one that Rosetta had begged to escape with her so long ago - 

 

The woman who had just barreled into Rosetta head-first, hugging her tightly around the torso and having no intention of letting go.

 

Rendered speechless for the second time that day, all that Rosetta can do is absently stroke Yggdrasil's hair while a strange feeling of  _ home _ settles over her.

 

* * *

  
  


_Where have you been all this time?_

 

Yggdrasil signs frantically over a cooling cup of coffee (true to her word, Cagliostro had brought Rosetta and Yggdrasil back to the teahouse in record time), Rosetta blinks rapidly, and Cagliostro watches the exchange with a small frown.

 

"You might want to go a little slower, I don't think that Rosetta knows sign language - or, here, I have some paper and a pencil - "

 

Rosetta waves off the worry, brow furrowed in concentration. "No, no, I picked up some over the years, don't worry about me."

 

_So you can understand me. At the speed I'm signing?_

 

"I think I might be missing some words here and there, but yes, dear, for the most party."

 

_...Alright. But you still haven't answered my question._

 

"Just as sharp as ever, I see."

 

Chuckling faintly, Rosetta leans back in her seat and makes eye contact with a curious Cagliostro and an even more curious Yggdrasil.

 

"I was out traveling with skyfarers."

 

 _And?_ Yggdrasil raises an eyebrow when Rosetta doesn't say anything more.

 

"That's it. That's all that I've been doing."

 

"Details, remember, it's all in the details." Cagliostro absently reaches over to pat the head of a miffed Yggdrasil. "Tell us more about that little captain, I'd like to know more."

 

"Oh, Gran?" is all that manages to leave Rosetta's mouth before Yggdrasil nearly flips over her drink in excitement.

 

_Gran? Not - not the Gran, the one that saved Lumacie on his own with the crew of maybe ten people?_

 

"Why, of course. That's how he picked me up, after all."

 

Cagliostro interrupts the conversation with a particularly loud  _clink_ of her cup and a regretful expression on her face. "Hate to interrupt, but we should be getting back now. It's going to be an early morning tomorrow, I need to show Rosetta around the shop to make sure that she knows where everything is before I leave."

 

She stands up, waving a waitress over for the check, and winks and Yggdrasil. "See you, then."

 

"See you later, dear," Rosetta calls when she's already been dragged halfway to the door.

 

 _This isn't over yet!_ Yggdrasil dashes off in a tangle of fingers.

 

Rosetta just laughs, long and loud.

 

* * *

 

 

Cagliostro nearly bends over backwards to make sure that Rosetta and Yggdrasil see each other every day, and now Rosetta is starting to find her behavior suspicious.

 

"I've been thinking," she drawls, one lazy afternoon when business is starting to trickle down. "If a person didn't know you well enough, they might start to grow suspicious."

 

"Suspicious? Oh my."

 

Cagliostro flutters her eyelashes, the picture of faked innocence. "Then are  _you_ suspicious of me?"  
  


 

"No, because I already know that something's going on. Are you  _trying_ to get something to happen between me and Yggdrasil?"

 

"Oh is this what you're so worried about? I'm not the culprit this time, I'm just helping things along - and speaking of that, good afternoon, Yggdrasil!"

 

Rosetta releases a distinctly unladylike squeak and flushes pink, but Yggdrasil just giggles.  _Afternoon!_ she practically vibrates. _Don't worry, I haven't been standing here long - o_ _h, Cagliostro, are you...leaving? Already?_

 

"No, no, I've still got so much to get into order. But, you know, Gran said that he would be coming over today to pick up my luggage. He hasn't been around yet, so should I go looking for him now?"

 

The look that Cagliostro sends Rosetta is less questioning, more scheming. Rosetta almost feels offended - if there's anyone that she knows who should be this good at setting people up, it should be Rosetta herself - but a yelp of pain from outside the store shatters the moment.

 

All three of the pharmacy's occupants turn to watch as the door creaks open and a highly disgruntled Gran wobbles into the room. "Er, Miss Cagliostro?" he squeaks out. "What exactly  _do_ you have in your bags?"

 

He doesn't seem to notice Yggdrasil's sudden excitement, or Rosetta's barely concealed amusement at Yggdrasil's actions. He does notice when Cagliostro only laughs in response in his question, then abruptly changes the subject by nudging him towards Yggdrasil.

 

"I - huh?"

 

Gran blinks at Yggdrasil.

 

Yggdrasil blinks at Gran.

 

She launches at him with a barrage of questions -  _is it really you? where's everyone else? can I meet them? -_ but it soon becomes disappointingly clear that Gran doesn't understand a word of sign language.

 

 _Translate? Please?_ Yggdrasil practically pouts at Rosetta, and...really, who could resist her when she makes that face?

 

"Gran," Rosetta interjects lightly. "This is my dearest friend, Yggdrasil. I wouldn't expect you to remember, but back when you picked me up, I helped you save the town of Lumacie from an unfortunate takeover by the government. You've - well, I suppose this is true for every location that we've stopped at - you've become something of a local legend."

 

"O-Oh, I have?"

 

Gran's expression fluctuates between extremely pleased and mildly embarrassed. "So you...already know me? And want to talk to me?"

 

Smile only growing brighter, Yggdrasil nods vigorously.

 

"In that case - why don't you come visit the Grandcypher? It would be nice to have some company while I'm hauling luggage over there, and there's bound to be people who understand sign language on board. You too, Rosetta, I'm sure that at least one person will want to say over-dramatic goodbyes."

 

"Oh, me too?"

 

Rosetta looks to Cagliostro for permission, but it's clear that the other woman couldn't get rid of the trio fast enough. "Go, go, go," she shoos Gran and Rosetta. "Have fun, do whatever, just make sure that nothing too dangerous happens. I sound like a middle-aged parent, don't I? ...Just shoo."

 

"Yes, Mother," Rosetta sing-songs before she gets kicked out of the shop, stumbling and laughing with the rest of the group.

 

* * *

 

 

Gran was right - even though the Grandcypher isn't scheduled to leave for another week, the way that the crew acts almost tricks Rosetta into believing that today is their last day. Yuel and Lamretta clamor for a party, Lyria hands Rosetta a flower crown that she made herself with an expression that's far more somber than necessary, and even Vyrn looks more dejected than usual.

 

"You know, this almost feels like I'm at my own funeral," Rosetta jokes when she manages to catch a breather and find Gran again.

 

He manages a weak laugh at that, but it's obvious that he isn't here to make idle chatter. "Listen," Gran starts awkwardly, but Rosetta is a step ahead of him - she grabs one of his arms and pulls him to the front of the ship, where she knows they'll have some semblance of privacy.

 

"Talk," she prompts, while Gran marvels over Rosetta's awareness, even after all this time.

 

"I, well," he mumbles. "It's a little personal, but I was talking to Yggdrasil - with Niyon there, too, I hope that you don't mind - and we were talking about you. So, I hope that this is something that you're aware of, but do you know of Yggdrasil's feelings towards you?"

 

 _Too easy_ , Rosetta thinks. "But of course. We've been friends since childhood, so we care for each other deeply. She's closer to me than any family member, and I can only hope that she feels the same - "

 

"She loves you, Rosetta. And I don't mean as a friend."

 

...If there's one thing that Rosetta prides herself on, it's that not many things can catch her off-guard. It's proved to be extremely useful throughout her life, especially in moments that require a cool head, allowing her to see what others, perhaps, could not in their haze of panic and confusion.

 

Now, as Rosetta can practically feel her brain grinding to a halt, all that she can think about is how  _nice_ it would be to have that ability back.

 

"Are you sure about that?" Rosetta asks as nonchalantly as she can. But she already knows the answer - Niyon can read the atmospheres of people, and she would never lie; Gran would never lie, as well, and the moment that he confirms Rosetta's thoughts, she's left with a truth that she never quite thought would be real.

 

"Well," Gran continues on, offering Rosetta a wobbly grin. "I really do feel bad about interfering, but if you feel the same you, it would be a good idea to tell Yggdrasil...?"

 

"Would it, now?"

 

Still half-lost in her thoughts, Rosetta nods a few times in response to Gran's statement. "I really must thank you for bringing this to my attention; as good as I am at reading other people, I'm absolutely terrible at figuring out my own feelings. But it is starting to get dark now, Yggdrasil and I should be heading back."

 

"Ah - of course! Sorry to have kept you for so long in the first place, but. One last thing."

 

Gran starts twisting the sleeves of his sweatshirt. "Could you...keep this bit a secret? I really don't think that Niyon asked permission before telling me what she heard, and I don't want to make Yggdrasil upset."

 

"Of course, dear, there won't be a single peep out of me about this."

 

Rosetta winks at Gran, puts a finger up to her lips, and walks off of the Grandcypher in search of Yggdrasil.

 

* * *

 

 

The pharmacy is a nice place to work and chat, the teahouse is a nice place to enjoy a light meal and wind down, but the herb shop is the best place for Rosetta to sit and contemplate her thoughts.

 

Maybe it's because Yggdrasil is there, and most of Rosetta's thoughts right now revolve around the pink-haired woman currently flitting from plant to plant and humming quietly. She still doesn't quite know what to think about the little talk that Gran had given her earlier - what she feels for Yggdrasil seems like something more than love, a relationship built purely off of trust, patience, and understanding. But when Rosetta thinks about the more traditional (dare she say, cliched) aspects of love, she finds herself daydreaming. It  _would_ be nice to have a more tangible name for whatever they are, to be more than  _just friends_ , to be able to fall asleep to such a familiar rhythm -

 

There's fingers snapping in front of her face.

 

 _Are you okay?_ Yggdrasil signs, an uneasy expression on her face.  _Do you need rest, or is there just something on my face?_

 

"I'm fine, darling. Pinky swear. I was just...thinking too hard."

 

Rosetta can't help but laugh when Yggdrasil taps her on the head with her scissors, accompanied by a  _and that's for making me worry_. But then Yggdrasil breaks out into a smile as well, and plops herself into a chair next to Rosetta.

 

_Penny for your thoughts?_

 

"Have you ever fallen in love with someone?" is the first thing that comes out of Rosetta's mouth, and she's immediately hit with the urge to kick herself.

 

 _Love?_ Yggdrasil tilts her head, curious.  _I suppose...we're not counting family, are we? Only once, then._

 

"Only once? As pretty as you are and with a personality as nice as yours? No one else has caught your eye?"

 

_Oh, no. Everyone else seems dull compared to this person, even now._

 

"Really," Rosetta replies, a vague sense of dread settling in her gut. "Well, who is it? Can I meet them?"

 

_Hm...it's someone that you know very, very well. And you don't need to meet her._

 

That takes Rosetta by surprise. "Hm? And why not?"

 

_Because...you are her?_

 

Suddenly growing bashful, Yggdrasil buries her face in her hands and slumps down on the counter.  _Sorry_   _if that was too sudden,_ a single hand drifts up to sign.

 

The dread in Rosetta's gut evaporates, replaced by pure joy and a sense that everything is as it should be now. She could sweep Yggdrasil up at this very moment and pepper her with kisses, but that would be too much - then Yggdrasil really might panic, being thrust so suddenly into that situation.

 

So Rosetta settles for reaching across the counter and untangling one of Yggdrasil's hands from her hair, then giving it a gentle squeeze.

 

"I have never," she says with every ounce of sincerity that she can muster, "been so happy to hear you say anything in my life."

 

Yggdrasil raises her head at that, sending Rosetta a skeptical look.  _You're going to regret those words someday, I just know it._

 

Rosetta laughs, quieter this time.

 

Yggdrasil lays her head back down, never letting go of Rosetta's hand, and smiles her most radiant smile yet.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I couldn't find a way to insert this into my fic but Rosetta really went out and learned sign language just so she could keep up with Yggdrasil's 57384868 hand gestures a minute but she'll never admit it
> 
> (come yell at me on twitter @axlotlols i love crying over gbf)


End file.
